NOTE: You need to know your Heart rate zones. E1 (Endurance), E2 (Tempo), E3 (Threshold) to utilise intervals
NOTE2: I am not a professional cyclist. I am physically and financial enthusiast who enjoys flagellation to achieve outcomes. Xmas 2012 I knew nothing about intervals and had a very narrow view of training. I have since engaged a coach and learnt the following.
NOTE3: Intervals sux massively. It is about the suffering. If at 2 mins of a 8 minute interval you feel like giving up as success is impossible then you have it right. 50% of intervals is learning to sustain suffering.
Thought I will enlighten everyone to the secret training called intervals.
I am sure everyone has heard of Intervals but not many people know how to properly implement or use intervals and why.
Initially intervals were used as a way of increasing the overall power output for a period. eg
Due to your lactate threshold you may only be able to sustain an average power of 150watts over an hour.
If you instead did 30 minutes at 100 watts and 30 minutes worth of intervals at 250 your total power output is at 175.
While the above is just to give you an idea in reality intervals allow you to massively increase your training power output.
You total output is based on three key factors. Heart capacity (Heart Rate), Lung Capacity (VO2) and Leg capacity (Lactate Threshold). To develop any one of these you need to stress it beyond 110% of its current capacity for a sustained period.
Normal training rides are a simple case of going hard. In essence you are riding in Tempo which is not really over stressing your body. Your three body components are all running below their maximum for an extended period. Great for endurance but not with making you go faster.
Intervals are designed to to target a specific component of riding or your body and extensively stressing an individual piece.
For example.
To target your lactate threshold shorter periods of high intensity are used such as 3 sets of E3 max for 8 minutes with 5 minute recovery.
To target your recovery you may use 1 hour of E3 min with cadence changes every 5 mins between 100rpm to 60 rpm.
VO2 max may use a 3 minute E3 max with a VO2 max sprint for the last 30 seconds and a 5 min recovery
To put some real world numbers with these.
I am 40 YO. Resting HR of around 45, Max of 195. With fresh legs I can push to 199 for brief 10 second intervals but that it is known as 110% VO2 max. Will work with 195 today, Yeah, mine is pretty bizarre. Average rider of my age and background would be around 180 max with mid E1 around 125.
Using the std table
E1 = 125 to 145
E2 = 145 to 165
E3 – 165 to 180
For a reasonable fit cyclist your E1 max (145) will be approx 28-30kph on the flat. The mid point of E1 (135) should be around 95% fat burn. Once you know your body you will find you can knock out 150+ km with little food requirements with mid E1. As soon as you push E1 max you will start to notice getting hungry after a few hours.
The midpoint E3 (170) should be your lactate threshold. Eg Should be your average heart rate for a maximum 20 min exertion (approximate)
NOTE: with training your Max HR won’t really change but your efficiency will. Eg more power for the same HR.
WARNING, Don’t skip your warmup, 30 warm up and 30 min cool down. Without this you will hurt the next day. Intervals really stress your body and muscles.
Results
My first interval was 3 x E3 for 4 minutes with 4 minutes recovery. Written 3 x E3@4min with E1@4min
I badly tapered off at the end of the first interval and the remaining 2 had no resemblance of an interval.
3 months later I am now doing 4 x E3max@9min with E1@4min. This is doing three sets of around 175-180+ hr for 9+ minutes.
3 peaks I held 175-180 for 30 minutes (Tawonga Gap) then 175 for 60 minutes (Mt Buffalo). My lactate threshold is now around 180 and I need to adjust my zones to suit.
The rest of the thread I will grow with different intervals and would love to see contributions from other people.
NOTE2: I am not a professional cyclist. I am physically and financial enthusiast who enjoys flagellation to achieve outcomes. Xmas 2012 I knew nothing about intervals and had a very narrow view of training. I have since engaged a coach and learnt the following.
NOTE3: Intervals sux massively. It is about the suffering. If at 2 mins of a 8 minute interval you feel like giving up as success is impossible then you have it right. 50% of intervals is learning to sustain suffering.
Thought I will enlighten everyone to the secret training called intervals.
I am sure everyone has heard of Intervals but not many people know how to properly implement or use intervals and why.
Initially intervals were used as a way of increasing the overall power output for a period. eg
Due to your lactate threshold you may only be able to sustain an average power of 150watts over an hour.
If you instead did 30 minutes at 100 watts and 30 minutes worth of intervals at 250 your total power output is at 175.
While the above is just to give you an idea in reality intervals allow you to massively increase your training power output.
You total output is based on three key factors. Heart capacity (Heart Rate), Lung Capacity (VO2) and Leg capacity (Lactate Threshold). To develop any one of these you need to stress it beyond 110% of its current capacity for a sustained period.
Normal training rides are a simple case of going hard. In essence you are riding in Tempo which is not really over stressing your body. Your three body components are all running below their maximum for an extended period. Great for endurance but not with making you go faster.
Intervals are designed to to target a specific component of riding or your body and extensively stressing an individual piece.
For example.
To target your lactate threshold shorter periods of high intensity are used such as 3 sets of E3 max for 8 minutes with 5 minute recovery.
To target your recovery you may use 1 hour of E3 min with cadence changes every 5 mins between 100rpm to 60 rpm.
VO2 max may use a 3 minute E3 max with a VO2 max sprint for the last 30 seconds and a 5 min recovery
To put some real world numbers with these.
I am 40 YO. Resting HR of around 45, Max of 195. With fresh legs I can push to 199 for brief 10 second intervals but that it is known as 110% VO2 max. Will work with 195 today, Yeah, mine is pretty bizarre. Average rider of my age and background would be around 180 max with mid E1 around 125.
Using the std table
E1 = 125 to 145
E2 = 145 to 165
E3 – 165 to 180
For a reasonable fit cyclist your E1 max (145) will be approx 28-30kph on the flat. The mid point of E1 (135) should be around 95% fat burn. Once you know your body you will find you can knock out 150+ km with little food requirements with mid E1. As soon as you push E1 max you will start to notice getting hungry after a few hours.
The midpoint E3 (170) should be your lactate threshold. Eg Should be your average heart rate for a maximum 20 min exertion (approximate)
NOTE: with training your Max HR won’t really change but your efficiency will. Eg more power for the same HR.
WARNING, Don’t skip your warmup, 30 warm up and 30 min cool down. Without this you will hurt the next day. Intervals really stress your body and muscles.
Results
My first interval was 3 x E3 for 4 minutes with 4 minutes recovery. Written 3 x E3@4min with E1@4min
I badly tapered off at the end of the first interval and the remaining 2 had no resemblance of an interval.
3 months later I am now doing 4 x E3max@9min with E1@4min. This is doing three sets of around 175-180+ hr for 9+ minutes.
3 peaks I held 175-180 for 30 minutes (Tawonga Gap) then 175 for 60 minutes (Mt Buffalo). My lactate threshold is now around 180 and I need to adjust my zones to suit.
The rest of the thread I will grow with different intervals and would love to see contributions from other people.
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